Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Mcdole.
Matthew, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I would draw a little bit during high school, but I didn’t really start making art until I was 23 or 24. I have been a skateboarder since I was a teenager and that was always my main focus but you tend to get hurt a lot so whenever I was injured I started making collages and painting. It was my way of still being productive and creative when I couldn’t skate and I just fell in love with it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I mean, life hasn’t always been smooth but I can’t say being an artist has had anything to do with that. I’ve always been poor, so I was always working with whatever I could get my hands on as opposed to being able to buy whatever art supplies I wanted/needed but I think that was a good thing. Now that I’m able to buy whatever I need I realize that having limited resources can force you to be more creative.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an illustrator, painter, and graphic designer. In the 2010s graphic design got very minimal and I loved the way all of that stuff looked. I didn’t have a computer or know anything about graphic design so I just tried to draw things in that style, and I wanted them to look perfect like the designs I was seeing more and more of so I took my time and tried to draw very straight and perfect lines. as far as subject matter, I’ve never put myself in a box and focused on anything specific. I just draw/paint what I want. I think every person has a unique life and unique interests so I just make things with subjects that I find interesting or are relevant to my life, and since no one else is exactly like me, it naturally sets itself apart from others. I’m proud of a lot of things but I loved getting to paint the Skatepark of Tampa earlier this year. It was a ton of work and I’m happy with how it turned out. That stuff ended up being in a video game (Skater XL) and that was a cool thing to get to show my young nephews. I honestly felt the happiest when I made things that my mom liked. She wasn’t into art at all but I could tell when she really liked something I made and that was always the best. At the end of the day, Don’t we all just want to make our moms proud?
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’m the worst person to ask as far as networking goes, just be nice to people because that’s the right thing to do, make the things you want to see and don’t try to make things with the sole intention of selling them.
Contact Info:
- Website: matthewmcdole.bigcartel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewmcdole/?hl=en
